Mechanical manipulating-machine



C. B. HARDY.

. MECHANICAL MANIPULATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY I4, 1920.

1,391,893, I PatentedSept. 27,1921.

2 SHEET4S-SHEET I- c. B. HARDY.

MECHANICAL MANIPULATING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED J LYH, 1920i 1,391,893. P w p 27, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

CLARA B. HARDY, DE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MECHANICAL MAN IPULA TIN G-MACHINEL To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARA B. HARDY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles,in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Manipulating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines of the character and for the purpose of'the machines shown in Letters Patent of the United States granted jointly to Katharine E. Gib- I porting said applicators out of engagementwith their operating cams for rendering the same inoperative, at will; to provide vertically adjustable supports for said applicators whereby the same may be adapted for use more perfectly than otherwise and conform in height to the curves of the human body; to provide means for locking said applicator supports in selected positions on their sup-' ports; and to accomplish such other objects as may hereinafter appear from the consideration of my invention.

It will be understood that I have sought to provide a machine adapted to be mounted upon a suitable table of sufiicient size to support a human body in reclining position, the series of applicators being arranged thereon in pairs alined horizontally of said table and the members of each pair being oppositely positioned transversely of the table, so that the back of the patient may rest thereupon in a comfortable position with the spinous process disposed between the two opposed sets of applicators. The applicators are so formed and arranged as to frictionally engage the body at points on eachside of the spinal column and spread transversely in operation so as to impart a rubbing motion over the surface of the body with which they contact, as nearly similar to the movement of the hand thereover as is possible with mechanical devices. The first pair .of applicators nearest the head and neck of the pa- Specification of Letters Patent. "Patented Sept, 27', 1921,

Application filed July 14, 1920. Serial No. 396,274.

the first set is again operated, and so on untila proper treatment has been provided. The results of this massaging operation tend to set up the circulation in the vicinity of the spine and to thus energize the entire system, and the patient is much invigorated and refreshed. i

I accomplish the above objects by means of the mechanism shownin the accompanying drawings of my machine, in which one practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated, subject to minor modifications and changes, within the scope pended claims.

In said drawings:

' Figure 1 is a plan view of a table having my improved machine shown thereon in position for use.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section and partly broken away, of the actuating elements and applicators of my machine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation of one of the applicators and support therefor.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the applicator supports.

7 Fig. 5 is a section of the same.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of one of the operating shafts showing the bank of cams thereon in operative relation;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevation of a portion of the table and the manipu1at ing mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of the table showing an end view of the manipulating mechanism.

The several parts of my device may be mounted for operation on conveniently formed and arranged frame members F and F suitably attached to th table T midway of the ends thereof and near the ends of the opening 0 in the bed B of said table, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Said frame members carry a pair of spaced rotating shafts S and S extendin longitudinally of the table between the rame members and disposed at equal distances on opposite sides of the vmean longitudinal line of said table. Said shafts have gears G and G, respectively, on the ends thereof which mesh, re-

spectively, with a driving pinion p and an of the apidler gear I, said pinion being adapted for connection with a suitable driving element, such as an electric motor (not shown).

Substantially above the shafts S and S and also equally spaced apart on opposite sides of the mean longitudinal line of the table T I provide a pair of longitudinally disposed rods R and R held in frame members F and F at their ends. A series of applicator supports 1, 1, etc., are pivotally held on the rod R and a similar number of such supports 2, 2, etc, of like character are mounted on the rod R transversely opposite the supports 1, 1, etc. Said supports have bearings 3, 3, etc., for receiving the rods R and R and substantially elongated bosses 4, 4, etc, connected with said bearings by means of webs 5, 5,etc.,the upper ends of said supports being slightly above the rods R and Pt and the lower ends thereof being about in the horizontal planes of the shafts S and S, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

The applicators A, A, on one side of the machine and A, A, etc, on the OtllGISldG thereof are formed of a suitable resilient and highly frictional material. such as sponge rubber, or the like, suitably mounted on metallic or wooden holders H, and H, respectively, and said holders are attached to the upper ends of plungers P and P, re-

spectively, the lower ends of which slidably engage the bosses at, etc., of the supports 1, 1, etc., and 2, 2, etc.

Plungers P and 1 P have longitudinal grooves 6 formed in their peripheries'which are adapted to receive the inner ends of set screws 7 carried in the bosses 4 of the sup portal and 2 for holding said plungers and the applicators A and A thereon in transverse alinement on the machine and to prevent the turning thereof in their supports.

Shafts S and S. carry operating cams G and C, respectively, alined with the supports 1 and 2 and adapted to engage the, outer ribs 8 on said supports, for rocking the said supports and applicators, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Springs 9 are attached to the outer portions of supports 1 and 2 at their inner ends and to suitable members of the table T, as at 10, at their outer ends, for maintaining firm but resilient engagement between the cams C and C and the supports 1 and 2, respectively, when desired. The opposite cams of each set are fixed on the shafts S and S so as to simultaneously rock the supports 1 and 2 of each of these sets inwardly and outwardly and transversely of the machine, the applicators A and A being thus similarly moved. The several sets of cams, however are so set on the shafts S and S as to successively operate the applicators, one after the other, from one end of the machine to the other, the arrangeinent of the said cams being indicated in 1g. 6.

Theplungers P and P have "springs 11 held in the bores 11 of the support bosses 4: which compress between the lower ends of said plungers and the ends of said bosses, which serve to hold the plungers upwardly in said bosses, as shown in Fig. 3. Said plungers also have series of holes 12, 12, etc, longitudinally alined on their peripheries and adapted to be engaged by horizontally disposed plungers 13 movably held in bosses 14 formed on the portions 4: of the supports 1 and 2, as shown in F ig. 5.

The plungers 13 are held at slight angles relative to the webs 5 of the supports 1 and 2 and have coil springs 15 thereon and collars, or flanges 16 which engage the inner ends of said springs, the outer ends of said plungers having collars, or nuts 17 and are connected with the rods R and R by means of arms 18 attached to said rods. The outer ends of arms 18 engage the outer ends of springs 15, so that said springs will hold said plungers normally seated in selected ones of the holes 12 in the plungers P and P, and they also engage the outer collars or nuts 17 for disengaging the plungers 13 from the plungers P and P, at will. This operation of the plungers 13 may be accomplished by means of levers L heldon the outer ends of the rods R and B, respectively, and

having locking pins 19 thereon for engagement with portions 20 of the frame members F and F adapted to be actuated by means of hand grips 21. Thus all of the plungers 13 on one side of the machine may be simultaneously operated for looking or unlockingthe said plungers and the height of the applicators A and A may be regulated to conform to the outlines of the spinal portion of a human body for aflording the greatest convenience and comfort of the patientto be treated. When suitable positions of the applicators are established the plungers are locked by means of the mechanism described and held in such position during the entire treatment,'or for as long, as

'may be desired or required.

If for anyreason it may be desired durthe course of a treatment, to discontinue the operation of the applicators, without stopping the operation of the entire machine, this maybe done by means of the actuation of a pair of longitudinal rods 22 and 23 attached at their ends to links 24, 24, etc., which are held at theiropposite extremities on longitudinal rods 7" and 1" carried on the frame members F and F at' their ends, as shown in Figs. 2, 7 and 8. Rods r and 1" may have operating levers L on their ends for turning the same in their bearings, and it will be quite obvious that when'said rods and 1" are rotated, the links 24 will be correspondingly moved, together with the mechanism adaptable for use in the treatment of persons having different physical characteristics and capable" of affording the greatest benefit, comfort and convenience to the patient, and free from all unnecessary and complicated parts, and I desire to claim v broadly on the several features and novel arrangement of parts I have described and will now clearly set forth the accompanying claims of my invention.

What I claim, is:

1. A machine of the character described comprising longitudinally alined applicators arranged in opposed sets transversely of the machine, rocking supports for moving said applicators transversely, of the machine, and vertically adjustable means carried on said supports for holding said applicators in selected positions.

2. A machine of the character described comprising longitudinally alined applicators arranged in opposed sets transversely of the machine, rocking supports for moving said applicators transversely of the machine, vertically adjustable means carried on said supports for holding said applicators in selected positions and means for locking said applicator holding means when so positioned.

3. A machine of the character described comprising longitudinally alined applicators arranged in opposed sets transversely of the machine, rocking supports for moving said applicators transversely of the machine, vertically adjustable means carried on said supports for holding said applicators in selected positions and operating means for engagement with said supports, as described.

4:. A machine of the character described comprising longitudinally alined applicators arranged in opposedi sets transversely of the machine, rocking supports for moving said applicators transversely of the machine, vertically adjustable means carried on said supports for holding said applicators in selected positions, operating means for engagement with said supports and means for disengaging said supports fromsaid operating means, as described.

5. A machine of the character described comprising longitudinally alined applicators arranged in opposed sets transversely of the machine, rocking supports for moving said applicators transversely of the machine, vertically adjustable means carried on said supports for holding said applicators in selected positions, operating means for engagement with said supports and means for releasing and holding said supports from operative engagement with said operating means.

6. A machine of the character described comprising longitudinally alined applicators arranged in opposed sets transversely of the machine, rocking supports for moving said applicators transversely of the machine, vertically adjustable means carried on said sup ports for holding said applicators in selected positions, operating means for engagement with said supports and independent means for releasing the opposite banks of said supports from operative engagement with said operating means.

7. A machine of the character described comprising longitudinally alined applicators arranged is opposed sets transversely of the machine, rocking supports for moving said applicators transversely of the machine, vertically adjustable means carried on said supports for holding said applicators in selected positions, operating means for engagement with said support-s, means for releasing and holding said supports from operative engagement with said operating means and means for holding said supports against operative engagement with said operating means.

8. A machine of the character described including a pair of opposed sets of .rocking applicators, actuating elements for engagement with and for effecting the operation thereof, and independent releasing means for each of said sets of applicators and having a. common member adapted for engagement with all of the applicators of each set, for moving said applicators out of operative engagement with said actuating elements.

9. A machine of the character described including a pair of opposed sets of rocking applicators, actuating elements for engagement with and for effecting the operation thereof, and independent releasing means for each of said sets of applicators and having a common member adapted for engagement with all of the applicators of each set, for moving said applicators out of operative engagement with said actuating elements and means for locking said releasing means in position when so operated.

10. A machine including a set of applicators having plungers attached thereto, rocking supports for holding said plungers, means held in said supports for holding said plungers extended from said supports, and manually controlled means for engagement with and for regulating the extension of said plunge-rs relative to said supports.

CLARA B. HARDY.

Witnesses LUTHER L. MACK, E. M. Dnssmox. 

